1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally pertains to qualitative analysis of data and more particularly to analyzing and using quality data to rank multiple copies of a media file.
2. Introduction
Digital cameras, portable media players, and web sites that allow visitors to stream media clips have contributed to a growing demand for media content. With so much media content available and easily accessible, the audio or visual quality of the media file can be an important factor in terms of sorting, filtering, and selection.
Media files may have the same file type, associated bit rates and/or other similar static attributes which all imply a certain level of quality. However, quality of such media can still be significantly different as it may be affected by numerous conditions that can create random “noise” or artifacts. This in turn affects how a user perceives the media when viewing/hearing it (e.g. bad video or audio), or can reduce/interfere with compression algorithms, impede delivery protocols or subsequent copy and reproduction of the media.
Furthermore, multiple copies of a media file may be available but in different formats which may further affect the media file or play back. There may be multiple reasons why media files may have differing qualities.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved way to provide derived quantitative data of quality for media files.